Super simple ways to save when having a new baby

There’s a new royal baby set to enter the world soon. Sadly, however, very few of us are princes and princesses, so the arrival of a new baby can be a little financially daunting. There’s no denying it — babies can be expensive. Whatever clothes you buy for them, they’ll split out of in a few months, and who knows what space-age technology designers put into pushchairs to make them so pricey.

Nevertheless, with some foreplanning and a large dose of savviness, you can welcome a new one into the world without going totally broke. One of the top, and probably easiest ways to ensure that you are saving as much as you can is to buy the things you need through Quidco. This way, you can earn cashback on your purchases, and spend the money you earn back on more necessary baby items. Or, maybe something for yourself as a treat.

Notes from a mum

To start off with, we’d thought we’d offer some notes from our head of Design and UX, and resident new mum, Milon Harman (or Mils for short). After recently having a baby girl, and being an avid Quidco user, Mils is an expert on how to save when it comes to the arrival of a little one. Mils maintains that the most important part of saving money on a new baby is to always be on the lookout for the best deal. This could be the retailers offering the best prices, or the most generous cashback rates you can find.

“Always do your research”, says Mils, “browse a few different online shops before you buy anything. You can always find a better deal. Made For Mums is a great website to find price comparisons of different retailers for baby stuff. I always do my research on there, then head to Quidco to see if I can get cashback on top.”

Mils also notes that she got a lot of her shopping done during last year’s Black Friday. “It was convenient for me”, says Mils, “because I had my daughter not long before the Black Friday sales. However, there’s always some kind of sale on the horizon, such as the January sales, Amazon Prime Day or the summer sales. For the big things, like prams and cots, it can be a good idea to wait for the next sale — if you can, that is.”

Another necessity for Mils when it comes to ordering baby gear is speediness. She needs to know that once she’s ordered something, it won’t take weeks for it to be delivered to her door. “Some items you need pretty immediately”, stresses Mils. “These include things like nappies and wet wipes. Fortunately, I have Amazon Prime, so I was able to order stuff in bulk and it would be delivered the next day. This was a life saver! I understand that not everybody has access to Prime, but always be aware of the time it takes to ship items when ordering online.”

Other than Amazon, what retailers did Mils find offered high-quality baby goods but for affordable prices? “Babies grow out of clothes so quickly, so you’ll need to invest in a few baby grow sets”, says Mils. “I found H&M offered really good quality baby grow sets that weren’t too expensive. If you want to splash out a little on your baby’s clothes, Mamas & Papas are little more upmarket but they have the quality to match the higher prices.”

What’s the most important thing to look for when it comes to saving money on buying for a new baby? “I’m at a slight advantage”, says Mils. “I work for a cashback company, so I’m always on top of the best cashback deals Quidco is offering. Having a baby is a very expensive time in people’s lives, and most of us need all the help we can get. Cashback has been a huge help, especially on big-ticket items such as prams, bouncers and cots. However, even on the smaller items, such as formulas and nappies, always look for cashback rates, as the money you earn back definitely adds up over time.”

Here are five more ways to save money when having a baby, complete with retailers who are offering great cashback rates.

Take advantage of your friends

Having a baby is a stressful time in your life, and it’s a given that your friends and family will do their utmost to help you out in the situation. Before the little one makes an entrance, it’s a great idea to suggest to your friends that they throw a baby shower. This American tradition has made the cross over the Atlantic, and in recent years, more and more Brits are throwing these pre-birth parties. Not only is it a great way to celebrate the coming of a new one, it’s also a pretty good idea financially. Invite everyone from your next-door neighbour to your second cousin. It’s a great way to stock up on baby clothes, hygiene items and toys.

Buy items that are two-in-ones

One of the biggest expenses of a newborn baby is all the contraptions that are necessary for your little one to sleep comfortably and be carted around in. This is especially true when you consider how soon they become redundant as your baby outgrows them. And babies love to outgrow things. A cot, for instance, can be an expensive buy and babies usually move onto a toddler bed within two to three years.

A smart move is to buy items that double-up as others. Instead of just buying a cot, invest in a cot-cum-toddler-bed, which has an adjustable mattresses so they can convert from a cot into a toddler bed. This means it has a usage lifespan of a few more years, so you don’t have to make two separate purchases. Likewise, when shopping for pushchairs, look for prams that have detachable baby carriers, so there’s no need to buy the two items separately. There’s a great range of these available at Argos.

In fact, you may already own products that will be of huge help during the early baby days. If you have an Amazon Echo Spot, you can use it as a baby monitor. It can even provide a live video feed so you can see for yourself that your little one is sleeping sound at night. Don’t have an Echo Spot? It might be a good idea to invest in one of these as a baby monitor. Not only does it help you check on the cub, but it’s also a voice-activated speaker, which plays music, updates you on the news, and allows to control the amenities of your household.

Share bathroom products with your baby

Your baby needs rather specific cleansing product to ensure they stay smooth and healthy. In that sense, it’s probably not a good idea to share your usual health and beauty products with your baby. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use your baby’s stuff.

It’s a great way to cut down costs on health and beauty products, as you’re only really buying for one and a half people. Most baby products work just as well on adults as they do on babies, and some adults who don’t even have children opt for baby lotions and moisturisers. Check out this article from Bustle on the five baby beauty products that adults should use.

To get all the baby health products you need and more, head to the Boots website. Remember, follow Quidco’s cashback links to Boots, so that you can earn cashback on your purchases, and save even more money.

Make your own baby food

Like most things in life, the homemade version is usually the best version. Making your own baby food is not only more economical than buying off-the-shelf products, but many believe it to be healthier for children. Parents tend to want to know exactly what goes into what they feed their children.

What’s more, it really isn’t that difficult. You will need a food processor of some sort and a way to steam the food. All you need to do is scrub or peel your vegetables, steam or microwave them until tender, then puree in a food processor. Then bon appetit. One of the only downsides of DIY baby food is that they do not have the same shelf life as the shop-bought products, so it’s best to keep excess food in the fridge or freezer. You can find new and inspiring baby food recipes in books such as Top 100 Baby Purees. All the ingredients you could ever want for baby food recipes can be found at Sainsbury’s. And, if you’re a Quidco member, you can earn cashback on those buys.

Think to the future

Who knows? This might not be your last baby. Whether you plan to have another one in the future or not, it’s a good idea to keep the possibility in mind. In this sense, be economical and keep everything that can be kept. Don’t throw or give away clothes and toys, and definitely do not get rid of the expensive items like prams and cots.

Similarly, when buying for your baby this time round, try and remain as gender-neutral as possible. For example, if you have a girl, buy her clothes that you’d be comfortable dressing a baby boy in. Babies outgrow clothes so quickly, so having reusable items can be a massive godsend.

Finally, when shopping for all your baby needs — whether they be clothes, prams, cots, food, or toys — be sure to make your purchases through Quidco, so you can earn cashback in a time of your life where you may need it the most.